Hame-fastener



(NorModel.)

D. G. MILLER.

HAMB FASTBNER.

No. 367,652. Patented Aug. 2, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID G. MILLER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

HAM E-FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 367,652, dated August- 2, 1887.

Application filed December G, 1886. Serial No. 220,822.

(No model.)

useful Improvements inIIame-Fasteners; and

I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains te make and use the same. My invention relates to improvements in haine-fasteners in which a spring-catch is employed for locking the device with a spring actuated tumbler for locking the springeatch, the same spring being made to operate the catch and tumbler, and the two latter being made to tilt in different directions and in given order, to the end that a cheap, simple, and convenient haine-fastener is had that is absolutely secure as against being nnfastened by accident.

` A llame-fastener, to be of any commercial value, must be of such construction that it can be easily and quickly manipulated by hand, otherwise the old-time haine-strap' would be likely to remain in general use. In view of the fact that in driving over rough roads and pavements there is imparted to the tongue of the vehicle an almost endless succession of jerky movements that are likely to bring the neck-yoke or pole straps or chain in frequent and violent contact with the haine-fastener, such blows being given at about all possible` angles, and that the horse in rubbing is likely p to press the haine-fastener in any direction, it

is not surprising that the various haine-fast eners heretofore devised by myself and othersV should in practice be found unsafe,by reason of such devices being sometimes unfastened by accident. In view of these difiiculties I have therefore devised a haine-fastener that is provided with a double-locking device-to .i wit, a spring-catch and a spring-actuated tum- In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation and detached bottom plan of aY hameiasteuer embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation in longitudinal section through the center of the haine-fastener. Fig. 3 shows front and rear elevations of edge views of the catch. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the tumbler. Figs. 5 and 6 are side elevations, partly in section, showing, respeetively,dii`fer ent working positions ofthe tumbler and catch.

A represents the casing of the device, the two sides of which are connected by crossbars A and A2. The former, being round in cross-section, serves as a pivot for the link B, the end of the latter being bent around the bar, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. l. The link C has lateiallyprojecting lugs c, set in line, that are adapted to fit in the diiierent notches (t of the casing, by means of which the device can be lengthened or shortened. The links are provided with hooks Band C for engaging the hames. The inner end of the link C extends some distance beyond thelugs c, and at c is engaged by the link B and held in the position shown in Fig. 1- when thelink Bis in its closed position, all of which has been more fully described in a former appli' cation for Letters Patent made by me.

D is a catch for fastening the hook Bf, and E is a tumbler forlocking the catch. The catch has laterally-projecting lugs d, that enter holes in the respective sides of the casing, forming apivotal bearing for the catch, by means ot' which the catch may swing lengthwise of the casing. The catch has a thumb-piece, D', extending below the casing, and has a shoulder, d, for engaging the point b of the hook B' in securing the same. The catch has also an incline, d?, leading to the shoulder d', by means oi which the catch is snubbed back by the point of the hook when the latter is being closed. The tumbler E consists of a flat arm extending lengthwise of the casing and lying flatwise against the inner one sideoi` the casing. tending below the casing, and the extreme end of the arm, at Ff, is made to abut the thumbpiece D oi' the catch for locking the latter when the parts are in the closed position shown in Fig. 2. The catch has a recess, d, that receives the point El in turning back the'eatch when the tumbler is depressed. The tumbler This arm has a thumb-piece, E, ex-

pressing the tumbler to unlock the catch. The

spring is of light wire, may be compressed by the iingers, and removed or placed in position. The recoil of the spring presses the catch t0- ward the hook-point I), and presses the point E to an engagement with the thumb-piece D. In attaching the baule-fastener, the hooks B and C having been hooked into the hamebails, the tumbler is pressed in to unlock the catch, after which the hook B is pressed down until the point b forces back the catch, when the return of the catch locks the device. In unfastening the device the tumbler is iirst pressed inward and held, afterwhich the catch is swung away from the hook-point, releasing the latter. The thumbpieces of the catch and tumbler being located in close proximity and moving substantially at right angles to each other, and the tumbler having iirst to be depressed and held while the cat-eh is being moved back to release the hook, it is not probable that any acedental force brought to bear would cause such a complication of movements, and so timed, as to unfasten the device. The device, however, is quickly and easily manipulated by the fingers, and it is believed has all essential features of asafe and desirable llame-fastener.

A lug, a2, made on the inner face of one side of the casing, lits in a corresponding recess, d5, of the catch, the said lug forming a stop to limit the outward movement of the catch when the hook B is open, the recess d5 allowing the catch to swing outward far enough to engage -and lock the hook in the closed position of the latter.

What I claim is a casing and links pivoted to the casing, substantially as indicated, of a spring-catch for locking the links, and a springactuated tumbler for locking the catch, the catch and tu1nbler being pivoted to the casing, substantially as shown, and made to move in different directions in uufastening the links, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination,with a casing and links pivoted to the casing, the latter having hook ends and arranged substantially as indicated, of a Springcatch, the same having a shoulder for locking the outer link, an incline for forcing back the catch by engaging the end of the outer link, and a tumbler for locking the catch, the tumbler and catch being pivoted to the casing and made to swing in different directions, substantially as shown, in unfastening the links, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination,with a casing and hook links pivoted to the casing and arranged substantially as indicated, of a catch for locking the outer link, a tumbler forlocking the catch, and a stop made on the casing to limit the outward movement of the catch, allsubstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I sign this speeiiication, in the presence of two witnesses,this 25th day oi' October, 1886.

DAVID G. MILLER.

Vitnesses:

Citas. H. Donna, ALnER'r E., LYNCH. 

